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Synopsis

Directed by: Ed BianchiWritten by: Ted Mann

Early morning in Deadwood. The tubercular Doc Cochran checks on Cy Tolliver. Blazanov delivers a telegram to Jane from "Nigger General"; frightened by what it might contain, she runs off to Utter to have it read. And Mrs. Ellsworth officially opens the Bank of Deadwood.

Meanwhile, John Langrishe falls into step with Joanie Stubbs to inquire about buying the Chez Ami for his use as a theater. "Perhaps you'd consider f**kin yourself," is her reply.

Passing Hearst on the street, Dority suggests he f**k himself as well, and later gets a warning from Hearst's second, Turner, when he delivers another invite to Swearengen.

At the Bella Union, Claudia, one of the new actresses in town, appeals to Stapleton for some gambling lessons. The tutorial leads to the booking of a room at the Grand Central, leaving Stapleton ready for more...in a few days. Claudia, however, appears less eager.

Utter reads the telegram to Jane: "Hostetler means to bring the horse back." As they argue over the meaning and a reply, the General and Hostetler arrive in camp with the horse that killed young William. When Steve the drunk sees them, he goes on a rampage, railing about the injustice of them coming back to claim the livery when he's the one who cared for the horses when they left. Bullock follows Steve to the livery, to confront Hostetler himself.

Joanie goes to Cy to discuss Langrishe's interest, and he urges her to solicit an offer. She next goes to Utter with her dilemma about whether to sell. He probes her on her ambivalence and she confides: "I wish once I could care for those little ones. Just once, 'stead of doing what I did."

Mr. Ellsworth brings Alma an apple on her first day. He defends Alma's professional credibility to an ornery customer who is giving Trixie a hard time about the availability of his funds.

When Bullock arrives, Hostetler takes responsibility for the accident. Bullock won't hold him responsible; instead he wants to talk about the livery. "Any chance to keep hell from breaking loose between you?" he asks. Hostetler is amenable.

Joanie practices her proposal to Langrishe with Utter: she will sell if he agrees to build a new school. She asks Utter to secure Mrs. Bullock's agreement to move the school, however, before she talks to Langrishe.

Bullock accompanies Hostetler to thank Steve for caring for the livery. He offers to keep Steve on--with pay. But the drunk responds with a barrage of insults, screaming epithets while Bullock holds him in check. When Hostetler finally blows, Bullock hustles him out and restrains him. "I was gonna go to Oregon," says Hostetler. "Let him buy me out fair and I'll f**king go." Bullock goes to Steve with the offer, who agrees if he had "the means at loan." In the midst of Bullock's attempt to broker a deal, Utter comes to him about the schoolhouse issue. Bullock assures him Mrs. Bullock will not mind leaving the Chez Ami.

Al tries to sort out the meaning of Hearst's invite while getting serviced by Dolly. He blames for her for his lack of response, accusing her of altering her method.

Langrishe stops by the Gem to ask Al about Joanie, why she might be holding on to the Chez Ami, but Al has no answer.

Bullock approaches Alma for a loan for Steve to buy the livery. "What is Steve the drunk's surname?" Alma asks as she approves the loan with Bullock to cosign.

Swearengen and Cy ascend to the meeting with Hearst at the Grand Central together. Al demands to know the occasion. Hearst indicates he'll be coming and going and wants Cy and Al to see after his interests. Swearengen demands to know the numbers, but Hearst wants his agreement in principle. "When you and him come to them, let f**king Adams know and he'll bring you my answer later," responds Al.

Deals are in the works. Joanie brings her terms to Langrishe, who agrees to build a new schoolhouse. Steve and Hostetler get into a standoff over who will sign first. Bullock, at wit's end, takes Sol's solution: "have them meet at the time their dicks will be down and have them sign simultaneous."

Adams shows up and Al demands to know where he's been. "Looking for someone whose name you told me never to say again," he replies, referring to Hawkeye. Al warns he better not end up dead because of him. Swearengen explains he's named Adams to represent him in his dealings with Hearst. Adams wonders how Dan will take it, and Dan's feelings are, in fact, hurt when he learns. But Al explains, "you'd never go against me, which Tolliver knows. I need someone he don't know that about."

Mr. Ellsworth praises Alma's skills to Sofia, while Alma, looking out the window, gets a signal from Leon to meet him. She excuses herself for some air.

Jane and Joanie discuss where they'll live, if not at the Chez Ami, Joanie inviting Jane to live with her wherever she ends up. Jane wonders, is Mose invited to the new destination?

In bed, Bullock vents about the standoff to Martha as she strokes his arm tenderly.

Al complains again to Dolly for her technique, while he confesses that it was Hearst chopped off his finger. He recalls another time when he was restrained: by the orphanage proctor, keeping him from joining his mother, who'd changed her mind about abandoning him. "I don't like it either," Dolly says, "when they hold you down."